Dispensing container



Feb. 11, 1941. r MCCARTHY 2,231,412

msrsusme CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 LI Z6 Feb. 11, 1941- J. McCARTHY 2,231,412

DI SPENSING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 2,231,412 DISPENSING CONTAINER Lawrence J. McCarthy, Maywood, 111., assignor of one-half to Sears, Roebuck and 00., Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of New York, and one-half to American Oil & Grease Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Michigan Application February 11, 1939, Serial No. 255,979

16 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 133,562, filed March 29, 1937.

This invention relates to cartridges and more particularly to those for dispensing grease and other fiowable material.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cartridge equipped so as to be readily convertible into a dispenser without additional means.

Another object is to provide a package readily convertible, while holding its contents, into a dispenser without additional means.

A further object is to provide a 'package convertible into a grease gun 'type of dispenser and so constructed as to enclose the nozzle of the gun before conversion.

It is a further object to provide a cartridge for lubricant or the like with means enclosed therein in shipment of the cartridge and readily adapted to be formed into a piston and nozzle for dispensing the contents of the cartridge.

Another object is to provide a cylinder and piston type dispensing device of the character referred to afiording suflicient bearing for the piston and/or associated dispensing tube to preclude wedging of the piston in the cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the. description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispensing container constructed in accordance with one form of the invention, prior to its conversion into a dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the structure of Fig. 1, converted into a dispenser.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view similar to a part of. Fig. 2 but of a modified form of the invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, but relate to another form of the invention, Fig. 5 being taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view taken as indicated by the line 6--5 in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but shows a modified form of piston bearing.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, but relate to a modification oi the form shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a device embodying the invention is shown in Fig. 1. This device is constructed ready for sale as an original package or cartridge containing grease or other fiowable or plastic material as follows.

I provide a tube 5 with a bottom thread 6 terminating in an outwardly directed fiange i, and an annular plate 9 with a threaded neck 5 I 0 and a wiper gasket l I at the side opposite the neck, the neck and gasket being dimensioned to permit telescopic assembly of the tube with the plate, at which time the gasket is adapted to wipe the outside of the tube. The plate may be rein- 10 forced as at l2.

Also provided is a suitable cup-shaped can body l3 having a side wall I4 whose interior surface i5 is adapted to have a wiping sliding telescopic fit with the outer periphery of the plate 9, and a base or bottom ll, filled with grease l9 or other suitable fiowable substance to a point adjacent the top of the body. The tube and plate, having been assembled, are now arranged with the tube projected into the substance i9 until its flange 1 abuts the base H, the plate resting on the top of the substance and below the top of the tube. The top of the tube may be beaded or made blunt as at 20. A top or cover 2!, having a threaded neck 22, is then permanently secured to the upper end of the wall it and a removable closure cap 23 threaded over the neck 22 completes the package. The cap may have a gasket 24 for sealing engagement with the top of the neck 22, and it will be observed that the top of the tube is so disposed that it will not interfere with such engagement.

The consumer desiring to dispense the contents of the package merely removes the cap, grips the interior of the tube with one or more fingers, or hooks a wire, nail head or other suitable implement into one of the preferably diametrically opposed apertures 26 in the tube 5, and pulls the tube up through the gasket II and plate 9, the gasket wiping the outer surface of the tube. 4( when the threadt of the tube is about to enter the threaded neck ill of the plate 9, the tube, while being pulled, is turned to connect the threaded parts, the plate being held from turning by friction against the can cover, or more positively if desired, until the flange I abuts and is in sealing engagement with the wiper ll, completing the dispenser assembly. Now there is provided a gun of which the can is the cylinder,

the plate 8 is the piston, and the tube 5 is at once a piston rod and an outlet nozzle.

I'hemouth ortop 20 of the tube may be constructed to have a fiuid tight engagement or connection with any type of lubricant fitting on automobiles and other installations.

In dispensing the contents of the can, it is necessary merely that the plate approach the can base II. This may be done in any manner readily apparent to the user, as by grasping the can body and tube and forcing the tube into the body, the tube forming a convenient handle for this purpose. In .case the contents are to be shot into a fitting, the mouth of the tube may be engaged with the fitting or suitably connected thereto and the can body pushed. The wiper gasket maintains the outside of tube clean as it is drawn out.

After any portion of the contents is dispensed, the piston remains at the level of the contents left in the can, as shown in Fig. 2, ready for further dispensing without any adjustment.

If desired, the tube 5 may be calibrated to serve as a gauge stick so that a user may know how much material has been dispensed. Thus, marks G may be stamped or otherwise applied to the tube, such marks being read with, say, the top edge of the neck 22 as a datum point to indicate when any given proportion of the contents has been used.

In the form of the invention appearing in Fig. 3, a modified joint between the tube and the plate or piston is provided. In this form, the tube 29 is threaded at 3| so as to be capable of being screwed in the sleeve or neck l6, but has no integral flange like the flange 1 of the tube 5 described above. Instead, a ferrule 32 is soldered or otherwise fastened within the threaded end 3|. The ferrule has a bottom flange 33 projecting outwardly beyond the end 3|. This device is assembled and operated like that above described.

Metal, pasteboard, fiber, or other suitable material may be used in the construction of the parts. The tube flange may be integral with the threaded part as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or secured in any suitable manner as shown in Fig. 3. The connection at the neck 22 of the can body could be other than threaded if desired. The body may be round, oval, rectangular, or other shape in cross-section, and when the term cylinder is used herein, it is to be understood as not limited to round body shapes.

It is evident from the foregoing that I have provided an extremely simple, inexpensive, sturdy, compact, knock-down dispensing cartridge for fluids including those of a grease-like character. The term grease" is used herein to connote any fluid material of similar flow characteristics.

In the form of my invention appearing in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, there is provided a piston 36 having a can wall-engaging flange 31 and an opening 38 telescopically receiving a tube 46. The piston has one or more slots 4| and upstanding flanges "at said opening, each flange having a ramp edge 44. The tube, preferably at its base, has a flange 45 on which a preferably resilient felt or other gasket 46 is disposed. Spaced above the gasket 46 is one or more lugs 49. The constructo the piston and hold the piston tightly against the can top and restrain the piston from turning,

if the piston is likely to turn, during the wedging action. Thereupon the piston and tube are united to cooperate with the can for dispensing the contents through the tube. The direction of the ramps could be reversed, if desired.

The can top 5| of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 comprises a boss 52 having a hole 53 telescopically receiving the tube 40. A wiper disc 55 secured to the boss wipes the fluid off the outside surface of the tube. An iron or other suitable washer 56 is secured under the gasket 55, as by depressing the boss 52 at 51, and provides a bearing surface 59 of substantial area for the exterior surface of the tube 40. When the can body has been charged with a predetermined quantity of grease or other substance l9, the piston 36 at the top of the charge is substantially below the can top 5|, so that there is a substantial air space 60. Now when the tube and plate are connected together and the initial portion of the charge is to be dispensed, the tube is supported laterally by the bearing washer 56 at a substantial distance from the connection of the tube with the plate, so that the tube can move only along its axis. Otherwise the tube might cant or tilt at the start, thereby injuring the boss at the hole 53 and wedging or jamming the piston plate against the can wall.

The tube is of such height that, at its lowest, it projects out of the boss, as shown in Fig. 4. As packed, the article includes a thimble 62 inverted and preferably snugly fitted on the outer end 63 of the tube. The thimble has a flange 64 having a hole 66 in substantial register with the bore of the tube. Removably held in the thimble is a paper or other gasket such as the disc 61 clamped between the tube end 63 and the thimble flange 64.

A cap 68 is adapted to have a snug and preferably fluid tight engagement with the outer periphery of the boss 52, although it may be threaded thereon if desired, as is evident from other forms illustrated in the drawings.

When the article is to be converted into a dispenser, or after conversion, as desired, the thimble 62 is removed, the disc 61 is removed and the thimble is then replaced as shown in Fig. 5. The flange 64 may be engaged with the end of the tube. The thimble has another flange 16 engageable with the wall about a hole 1| in a differential casing 12 or other hollow body, such, for example, as that appearing in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to prevent the tube from being projected too far into the casing hole.

The operation of the structure of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 as a dispenser is the same as described in connection with the flrst form of the invention.

Instead of employing a bearing 56, I may provide a piston 14 having connected thereto a flange I5 of such height as to require a substantial portion of the tube 16 to project into the can at all times so that the can body at 53 will cooperate with the piston in constraining the tube to movement along its axis, as shown in Fig. 7.

Figs. 8 and 9 disclose another form of the invention, somewhat similar to that of Fig. 1. In Figs. 8 and 9 the top 65 of the can 86 has no boss or other means for anchoring the cap. Instead, the piston, indicated generally at 81, has a threaded neck 89 which, prior to conversion of .the package into a dispenser, projects upward through the opening 96 in the can top 85, and a cap 9| is threaded about the neck, the rim 93 of the cap being adapted to have sealing engagement with the top. The tightening of the cap is neck 89.

The tube llll may have a nozzle I02 flanged as at I03 to facilitate withdrawal of the tube and also to act as a guard preventing projection of the nozzle too far into an opening into which the contents of the can are to be dispensed. The nozzle is preferably tapered as at I05 to allow limited entry of the nozzle into holes of different sizes. The tube is preferably of such length that, prior to its use as a dispensing element, the flange Hi3 projects free of the neck 89 so that when the cap 9! is removed the flange may be grasped readily.

The tube MI is threaded at the lower end I07 thereof for accomodation by the neck 89 and has a flange I08 carrying a gasket I09 adapted to engage the plate 99 so as to limit outward movement of the tube relative to the piston and form a seal between the tube and the piston, substantially as shown in Fig. 9. The threading together of the tube and piston and their joint functioning are the same as described for the structure of Fig. 1. The tube may have openings I H having the function ascribed above to the openlugs 26.

Any type of joint, piston, tube, closure and topconstruction disclosed or within the spirit of the invention may be employed with any of the others, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and, hence, I do'not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which should be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

1. A knockdown dispenser comprising a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a tube telescoped through the piston and disposed entirely in the cylinder, said piston and tube having interlockable portions which are separated while the tube is entirely within the cylinder but which are interlocked to form an operative cylinder-andpiston gun assembly when the tube is projected out of the cylinder.

, 2. A compact package comprising a can of fluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, an annular plate over the grease, a tube enclosed by the can and surrounded by the plate and adapted to be pulled outward through the opening when the closure is removed, and means on the plate and tube for interlocking them to form a piston and piston-rod unit when the tube is so pulled, forming a grease gun.

3. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container of fluid such as grease and having an opening, a tube in the container and of a length substantially equal to'that of the interior of the container and terminating at the opening, a plate in the container and about the tube and having a wiping fit witlrboth, and threaded means on the plate and tube and arranged to become connected when the tube is pulled outward through the opening to form a gun.

4. A compact dispenser cartridge comprising a cylinder of fluid such as grease and having substantially flat ends, one end having an opening and a closure therefor, a tube in and extending substantially the full length of the cylinder and terminatng in the opening, a piston telescoped about the tube at the open end of the cylinder, and connectible means on the tube and piston to unite them and iorm with the cylinder a gun when the closure is removed and the tube pulled outward through the opening.

5. The combination with a cartridge of fluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, of a plate in the cartridge and over the fluid, said plate having an opening alined with the cartridge opening, a tube in both openings and arranged to be pulled outwardly through the cartridge opening, and means on the tube and plate and interlockable upon pulling the tube outwardly through the cartridge opening to form a piston and piston-rod unit adapted to be pressed against the fluid and force it out through the tube.

6. A combination container and dispenser for a fluid, comprising a can sealed at one end and provided with an opening at the other end, a tube extending through the opening and into the can, the tube being normally contained substantially entirely within the can but withdrawable from the-can, a transverse element in the can movable as a piston through the can, and means associated with said element for mechanically coupling the element and the tube to enable the tube to serve as an actuator for the element.

7. A dispenser comprising a container, a piston in said container, a tube telescoped through said piston and disposed entirely in said container, said piston and tube having interlockable portions which are separated while. said tube is entirely within said container but which are interlocked to form an operative gun assembly when said tube is projected out of said container.

8. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container having side and end closure walls and an opening and a closure therefor, a tube element in said container, a piston element in said container, said tube element extending through said piston element and having a wiping fit therewith, and means operative upon relative movement of said piston and tube to securely wedge said piston and tube together for dispensing movement in unison.

9. A dispensing package comprising a can of fluid such as grease and having an opening and a closure therefor, a plate between the grease and an end of the can, a tube in the can and withdrawable outward through the opening when the closure is removed, and means on the plate and tube for interlocking them to form a piston-andpiston-rod unit when the tube is so withdrawn, forming a grease gun.

10. A dispensing container having an opening, a removable cap for closing said opening, a piston in the container and at an end of the contents of the container, a tube in the container when the cap closes said opening, said tube being adapted to extend through the open end of the container when the cap is removed, interlocka-ble means on said piston and tube, said piston and tube being relatively movable to interlock said means, said piston and tube cooperating thereafter in such manner that force transmitted by said tube is eii'ective to move said piston to force said contents outward through said tube, and means on said tube and projecting transversely of the axis of the container for engaging a receiving vessel adjacent an entrance hole of the latter to holdthe tube in proper dispensing relation to the vessel hole.

' 11. A dispensing container having an opening, a piston in the container, a tube connected to the piston and having a wiping fit with the container at said opening and having an open end projecting outwardly through said opening, a thimble having a hole in its base and a removable gasket for said hole, said thimble being removably fitted on said projecting end with the gasket closing said end and said hole, and means on said thimble for engaging a receiving vessel adjacent an entrance hole of the latter to hold the tube in proper dispensing relation to the vessel hole.

12. A dispensing container having an opening, a piston in said container, said piston having an attachment part adapted to project through said opening, a removable cap engageable with said part and, when so engaged, closing said opening, a tube in said container when said cap is engaged with said part, said tube having connecting means engageable with said part upon relative movement therebetween to connect said piston and tube for movement together, said tube being formed to discharge the contents displaced by relative movement of said container and piston.

13. As an article of manufacture, a dispensing container for grease and the like and having an opening, an annular piston in said container and over said grease, a tube extending through said piston and a closure for closing said opening, said container adjacent said opening having a bearing for said tube, said tube having connecting means engageable with said piston upon outward movement of said tube in the absence of said closure to connect said piston and tube for movement together, said tube being formed to discharge the contents displaced by relative movement of said container and piston, said container being substantially incompletely charged with grease or the like and said piston and bearing being substantially spaced apart to preclude tilting of said piston when the grease is first dispensed.

and having a wiping fit therewith, said tube hav-' ing connecting means engageable with said piston upon outward movement of said tube to form a unit, said container being substantially incompletely charged with grease or the like and said container affording substantial bearing for said unit lengthwise of said unit to preclude tilting of said piston when the grease is first dispensed.

15. A dispensing container having a relatively reduced opening, a removable cap for closing said opening, a piston slidably engaged with the wall of the container and substantially larger than said opening and adapted to be disposed at an end of the contents of the container, a tube adapted to extend through the open end of the container when the cap is removed, interlockable means on said piston and tube, said piston and tube being relatively movable to interlock said means, said piston and tube cooperating thereafter in such manner that force transmitted by said tube is effective to move said piston to force said contents outward through said tube, and means on said tube and projecting transversely of the axis of the container for engaging a. receiving vessel adjacent an entrance hole of the latter to hold the tube in proper dispensing relation to the vessel hole.

16. A dispensing cartridge comprising a container for grease and other fluent material, said container having an opening, a cap for said opening, a piston in said container, a tube entirely in said container when said cap closes said opening, means for connecting said tube to said piston, said tube being movable, when said cap is removed, to force said piston to displace said material, said tube serving as an outlet for the displaced material, and means for preventing complete separation of said tube and container.

LAWRENCE J. MCCARTHY. 

